Anthony Edwards is already a household name amongst Minnesota Timberwolves fans. He is also a legend in his home state of Georgia. as we are fast approaching “Anthony Edwards Day” on Aug. 5 in his hometown. Edwards’ star is soaring as the self-assured two-time All-Star looks to help the USA win gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside LeBron James and Co. Timberwolves fans are enjoying the delight of having Edwards, along with three other Timberwolves players, in the spotlight of the iconic summer sporting event. Edwards has a chance at these Olympics to assert himself as the rightful heir to the throne of “face of the NBA” and position himself for even greater individual and team notoriety.
However, there is one surprising place in which Edwards has already risen to the ranks of the best of the best in the hierarchy of the best basketball players in the world: Lithuania.
Lithuania is a country with only 2.8 million residents, roughly half of the population of the state of Minnesota. However, their passion for basketball is unrivaled. This writer was lucky enough to spend this past summer in Lithuania, and I have to say, if you can find a way to be in Lithuania in the summer, by all means, do so. The Baltic country is a Euro gem with amazingly modern infrastructure juxtaposed with clean and ample nature. The country is green with trees and dappled with clean lakes and flowing rivers. The women are as beautiful as advertised, the food is delicious, and the Lithuanian beers are otherworldly.
Basketball is also a national passion. The story goes that, in 1935, a group of Lithuanian-American basketball players from the Chicago area, headed by Edward Kriaučiūnas, or “Moose Krause,” made their way to Kaunas, the temporary capital of Lithuania, for a three-week conference celebrating Lithuanian culture. The current capital, Vilnius, was under Polish control at the time.
After the required three weeks, the delegation decided to stay a while in Lithuania, and most of those who had been there certainly wouldn’t blame them for staying. They continued to teach basketball to the willing athletes of the Baltic country. That led to Lithuania, as a member of EuroBasket, winning the European championship in 1937. Lithuania was hooked. Subsequently, the first-ever European basketball hall would be built in Kaunas. Pranas Talzunas, a Lithuanian-American born in Chicago, would purportedly be the one to invent the hook shot.
Political turmoil would muddy the waters of Lithuanian basketball history from there, as World Wars and Russian rule diluted the distinction of Lithuanian basketball excellence. Obscure examples include Modestas Paulauskas, who captained Russia’s first national basketball team, which included four Lithuanians. In 1972, the U.S.S.R. team defeated the USA in a highly controversial fashion. A much less obscure example to rabid NBA fans would be Arvydas Sabonis, who came to the NBA in the twilight of his career. However, he was still a force with the great Portland Trail Blazers teams of the late 80s and early 90s.
Five Lithuanian players are currently on NBA rosters. Arvydas’ son, Domantas, is a star player with the Sacramento Kings. Jonas Valanciuanas, Deividas Sirvydis, Ignas Brazdeikis, and Matas Buzelis, a rising rookie for the Chicago Bulls, are also Lithuanian NBA players.
If you go to a pub in Lithuania, you are more likely to see basketball being played than futbol, a stark difference from most European countries. When I would share with Lithuanians that I was from Minnesota, I was initially surprised by how many would respond with, “Anthony Edwards!” Then again, he is the guy who did this:
After about the fifth time someone mentioned Edwards, I was no longer surprised. Taxi drivers, randos at the pub, and friends of friends — it was shocking to learn how much they knew of Edwards and, more importantly, how much they loved him. “What do you think of Doncic?” I asked one rabid Lithuanian basketball fan. “No, no. He complains too much,” he responded. “Edwards is better.” I bought him a beer.
It turns out the Lithuanians don’t like Slovenians, or even Serbians, as much as they like and respect someone who scored 35 points against their national team.
Edwards hopes to prove himself to be the best young player in the USA at these Olympics, where he has already done this against Germany:
This against Serbia:
This against South Sudan:
And this against Canada:
The world might not know exactly what to expect from Ant in these Olympics, but his fans in Minnesota know him well enough not to be surprised by anything he does. Edwards will likely win at least one new country over, perhaps even a few. He doesn’t have to worry about Lithuania. They already love him there.
